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Dr.  Colmaris 

SERMON 

At  the  publick  Lecture 

Befion^  September  4.  1746. 


.--.>^;:vf 


The  Vanity  of  Man  as  Mortal 


SERMON 

Preach'd  at  the  Lc^ure  in  Boftoti,  September  4.  1746. 
In    the 

Audience  of  the  General  Courts 
The  Morning  before  the  Funeral 

Of  the  Honourable 

M"  Frances  Shirley 

Confort  to  His  Excellency 

William  Shirley  Efq; 

Captain  General  and  Commander  in  Chief  of  His 
Majesty's  Vx^VwiZtoix^LitMaJfachufetts-Bay^  Sec. 

By  Benjamin  Colman^  d.d. 

Pulvts   et   Umbra  futnus. 
Vi<vere  Ji   re6le    nefcis^  difcede  peritis. 

BOSTON: 

Printed   by    Rogers  and  -fonxle^  for    D.  Henchman 
in   Cornhill.     Mdccxlvi. 


_J 


.^^f^^'- 


The  Vanity  of  Man 
as   Mortal. 


Pfalm  Lxxxix.  47. 

Remember  how  JJjort  my  7\me  is  : 
Wherefore  hajl  Thou  made  all 
Men   in   vain  ! 


TO  expreft  my  fatherly  Tendernefs  to  my 
dear  Colleague  on  his  Jirft  Turn  in  this 
public  LeSlurCy  I  do  at  his  earneft 
Requeft  in  Feeblenefs  and  Fear  venture 
to  appear  once  more  in  this  your  Au- 
dienccy  ( my  Honoured,  Reverend  and  Beloved 
Hearers  )  to  bewail  and  improve  as  I  am  able 
the  Breach  which  the  Sovereign  and  Holy  GOD  has 
been  pleafed  to  make  this  W^eek^  not  only  on  His 
Excellency  our  Governour  and  his  bereaved  Fa- 
mily y  but  alfo  on  our  felveSy  the  Town  and  Province^ 
in  the  Death  of  His  Excellent  Lady  and  Confort ; 
who  firft  in  her  more  private  Life  among  us,  and 

fince 


6  The  Vanity  of  Man 

ifecein  hffr  exalted  State,  has  exhibited  to  us  fa 
much  of  the  virtuous  and  gracious  Woman\,  wltK 
whofe  Charadter  the  wife  Solomon^  under  a  DivirlO 
Jnfpiratiofty  clofes  his  admirable  Book  of  Proverbs  ; 
.^ "  Whom  who  can  find  ?  faid  the  Man  of  ex- 
alted Wifdom  and  Knowledge  : —  "  Her  Price  is 
«'  ^hove  Rubies  !  The  Heart  of  her  Hujband  doth 

•'  of  Spoil  :    She  will  do  him  good  and   no  evil 

"  all  the  Days  of  her  Life  : She  is  like 

*'  the  Merchants  Ships^  fhe  bringcth  her  Food 
*^  from  afar  :  She  rifeth  while  it  is  yet  Night, 
*V  and  giveth-M^^  to  her  Houjhold^  and  a 
«^  Pordon  to  \\tx  Maidens  :  She  confidereth  a"^Fr^7^ 
«'  and  buyeth  it  ;  with  the  Fruit  of  her  Hands 
*'  fhe  planteth  a  Vineyard  :  She  girdeth  her 
*«  Loins  with  Strength,  and  ftrengthneth  her  Arms : 
*«  She  perceiveth  that  her  Merchandize  is  good^ 

*'  her  Candle  goeth  not  out  by  Night   : She 

*'  ftretcheth  out  her  Hand  to  the  Poor,  fhe  reach- 
*'  eth  forth  her  Hands  to  the  Needy  :  She  .is  not 
*'  afraid  of  the  Snow  for  her  Houfhold,  for  they 
<«  are  all  clothed  with  Scarlet :  She  maketh  her 
*'  felf  Coverings  of  Tapefiry^  her  Clothing  is  Silk 
^'  and  Purple  :  Her  Hujband  is  known  ia  the 
«'  Gates^  when  he  fitteth  among  the  Bldcrs  of  the 
*'  Land  : —  Strength  and  Honour  are  her  Cioath- 
*'  ing,  and  Ihe  fhall  rejoice  in  Time  to  coriie  : 
"  She  openeth  her  Mouth  with  Wifdom,  and  ip 
*'  her  Tongue  is  the  Law  of  Kindnefs  :  She  look- 
<'  eth  well  to  the  Ways  of  her  Houfhold,  and  eat- 
"  eth  not  the  Bread  of  Idlenefs  :  Her  Children  rife 
"  up  and  call  her  blejfed,  her  Hujband  alfo  and  he 
"  praifeth  her  :  Many  Daughters  have  done  ver- 
"  tubufly,  but  Thou  excelled  them  all.  Favour  is 
*'  deceitful  and  Beauty  is  vain,  but  a  Woman  that 

fearetb 


as  Mortal  7 

«  feareth  the  Lord  llie  fhall  be  fraifei  :  Give  her 
*«  of  the  Fruit  of  her  Hands^  and  Jet  ^^r  ew» 
''  /F^r/^j  praife  Her  in  the  Gates, 

I  know  You  are  before  me,  my  Hearers^  in  the 
Application  of  this  high  and  Jlrong  Character  to  the 
deceafed  Madam  Shirley  -,  nor  will  I  prefume  to 
add  a  Word  by  Way  of  Charafter  to  this  infpir'd 
and  exalted  Encomium. —  Take  it,  and  divide  it 
among  your  felves^  Ye  venerable  Matrons  and 
Daughters  of  New-England  I  And  may  the  moft 
Amiable  and  Honoured  Daughters  of  the  Deceased 
ever  eminently  appear  and  fhine  in  thofe  Ornaments 
of  the  Daughters  of  Zion. 

— But  alas !  my  Hearers^  that  whenever  it  pleaf- 
es  the  GOD  of  the  Spirits  of  all  Flelh  to  forra 
fuch  a  Charadler  in  his  Church  below  ;  and  lend 
fuch  a  Son  or  Daughter  for  a  few  Days,  to  ferve 
in  their  Generation  by  His  holy  Will  -,  that  we 
muft  needs  return  fo  foon  to  the  Words  of  my 
'I'ext^  and  fpread  them  before  the  Lord  in  the  Pre-^ 
fence  of  all  his  People  \—  "  Remember  how  fhort 
*'  my  "Time  is  !  Wherefore  haft  Thou  made  all  Men 
"  in  vain  ?  What  Man  is  He  that  liveth  andjhall 
*^  not  fee  Death  !  Shall  he  deliver  his  Soul  from  the 
if  Hand  of  the  Grave  ? 

Who  the  Writer  of  this  Pfalm  was,  or  when  it 
was  written  is  uncertain.  It  may  feem  by  the  me- 
lancholly  Conclufton  of  it,  from  the  38  th  Verfe  -,  to 
have  been  wrote  by  fome  holy  Man  of  GOD  about 
the  Time  of  the  Bahylonifh  Captivity  ;  when  the 
Glory  of  the  Houfe  of  David  was  made  to  ceafe^  and 
his  Throne  caft  down  to  the  Ground, —  The  Promifes 
of  GOD  to  David^  and  his  Covenant  refpeding  his 
■"■"^  "  ^oli.fe. 


8  "The  Vanity   of  Man 

Houfe  are  inlarged  on  in  the  firft  37  Verfes  of  .the 
Pfalm  \  and  the  Faithfulnefs  of  GOD  to  his  Pro- 
mifes  are  fung  of,  with  the  utmoll  Affurance^  thro' 
that  long  Period  :  Yet  how  to  reconcile  the  pre* 
ient  Face  of  Providence  with  thofe  Promifes,  was 
beyond  the  Force  of  the  pious  Pfalmift'*s  Penetra- 
tion :  He  therefore  drops  it,  leaving  it  to  the  Mofl 
High  and  Holy  and  'True  to  fulfil  his  Word  in  his 
own  Way  and  Time  :  He  therefore  betakes  himfelf 
to  Prayer  for  the  Royal  Houfe^  and  for  the  Church 
cf  GOD  imbark'd  in  the  Fate  thereof  ;  and  for 
Himfelf  alfo  as  One  of  GOD's  Ifrael  who  would 
be  his  Remembrancer  for  Sion  ; —  "  Remember  bow 
*'  fhort  my  Time  is  ?  Wherefore  haft  thou  made  all 
•'  Men  in  vain  ? —  Where  are  thy  former  Loving- 
"  kindneffes  which  thou  fwearejl  unto  David  in  thy 
*'  Truth  ? 

Moft  obfervable  in  thefe  Words  is  the  humble 
Freedom  us'd  by  the  Pfalmift  in  putting  GOD  as  it 
were  in  Mind^  befeeching  Him  to  remember  !  as 
if  it  were  a  Thing  poffible  for  His  infinitely  know- 
ing Mind  ever  to  forget  I —  and  he  prefumes  (as 
it  were)  to  bring  to  GOD's  Remembrance  a  very 
known  Thing  and  common  ;  how  Jhott  his  Time 
was,  and  the  Time  of  all  Men  is  ! 

See  what  a  Liberty  in  Prayer  GOD  indulges  to 
his  People,  to  fpeak  /<?-Him  and^/Him  after  their 
own  Manner  -,  as  a  Child  to  his  Father^  or  a  Marv 
to  his  Friend  !  So  He  overlooks  the  Infirmity 
and  the  Impropriety  of  their  Words,  and  accepts 
gracioufly  what  Faith  and  Love  mean  well* 

And  yet  the  Pfalmifi's  Freedom  before  the  Throne 
of  Grace  goes  further^  and  he  even  dares  to  expof- 

tulate 


as  Mortal.  g 

tulate  with  the  High  GOD  upon  the  outward  Face 
of  his  Government  ; —  "  Wherefore  hajl  thou  made 

all  Men  in  vain  ? So  he  pour'd  out  his  Com- 

fylaint  before  the  Lord,  and  fhewed  before  him  his 

'Trouble, 

But  far,  far  be  it  from  us  to  cenfure  the  pious 
and  fervent  Servant  of  the  Lord,  or  to  think  his 
Words  amifs  I —  elfe  in  a  holy  Refentment  one 
might  be  ready  to  anfwer,  "  IVho  art  thou^  O  Ma?j^ 
''  that  repliejl  againfl  GOB  ?  Or  who  fhall  fay 
"  to  Him^  what  doeft  Thou !  Shall  the  Thing  form- 
ed, fay  unto  Him  that  formed  it,  IVhy  haft  thou 
made  me  thus  ?  I  will  anfwer  thee^  GOD  is  greater 
than  Man  !  Why  dofl  thou  ftrive  with  him  ?  for 
He  giveth  no  Account  of  his  Matters. 

But  fuch  a  Return  as  this  to  the  Pfalmift^s 
Words,  were  to  fuppofe  them  chargeable  with  Ir- 
reverence or  Difcontent  before  GOD  -,  which  was 
far  from  him. —  And  yet  the  Freedom  taken  in 
expofiidating  in  Prayer  on  fo  Great  a  Point  as  the 
making  Man  and  all  Men  !  as  if  it  might  but  feem 
to  be  in  vain,  though  it  may  not  be  called  any  con- 
tending with  his  Maker,,  refpeding  his  Work,,  as  if 
he  had  no  Hands  \  or  a  charging  GOD  foolijhly 
with  that  which  really  He  had  no  Hand  in  ;  but 
Man  muft  take  wholly  to  himfelf,  having  brought 
all  the  Vanity  upon  Himfelf  by  his  Sin  : —  Yet  it 
muft  be  confefTed  to  be  a  very  great  Liberty  taken 
by  Duft  and  Alhes,  and  a  wonderful  hirtance  of 
GOD's  overlooking  the  Infirmity,  winking  at  the 
Ignorance  and  accepting  the  Prayer  •,  for  He 
confiders  that  we  are  Duft  ;  and  we  cannot  ftrain 
the  Matter  in  the  leaft  beyond  the  Prophet  Jere- 
w/^/^'s  Meaning,  in  his  xiith  Chapter,  ift  Verfe. 
B  Righteous 


lo  "The  Vanity  of  Ma7t 

Righteous  art  thoii^  O   LORD  !  yet  let  me  reafon 
with  Thee  of  thy  Judgments, 

But  pafTing  the  Manner  of  the  Pfdmifih  expref- 
fmg  himfelf,  let  us  attend  to  the  JDo^rinal  Truths 
fuggcfted  to  us  in  his  Words  •,  which  are  of  the 
lad  Importance  to  us  to  remember  daily,  keep  in 
Mind,  ponder  and  improve  :  i.  That  our  Time 
here  in  the  Body  is  very  Jhort  :  2.  So  fhort  as 
may  fometimes  make  us  ready  to  think  of  our 
felves  and  others,  that  v/c  are  made  in  vain  !  And 
if  it  were  not  for  the  Relation  which  our  prcfent 
Life  bears  to  a  future  and  everlafting  State^  it  might 
juftly  be  thought  fo. 

The  frjl  of  thefe  Do  brines  is  fo  obvious  a  Truth, 
that  there  needs  very  little  to  be  /aid  on  it  ;  how 
much  foever  we  ought  always  to  remember  it  our 
felves,  and  may  daily  carry  before  GOD  the  Re- 
membrance of  it  ;  « "  LORDy  how  Jhort  my  Time 
is  ! 

The  Holy  Ghost  admonifhes  us  of  it  by  the 
Pen  of  the  Apo§lle  that  we  may  never  forget  it  ; 
*'  Brethren^  the  Time  is  Jhort^  and  the  Fajhion  of 
this  World  paffeth  away,  i  Cor.  vii.  29.  The 
blefled  Spirit  of  Grace  isalfo  often  telling  us  how 
fhort.,  in  fuch  Words  as  if  the  Thing  could  not 
well  be  told  ;  "  it  is  but  as  the  Shuttle  pqffing  thro* 
the  Loom  -,  it  is  but  as  a  Hand  breadth^  and  our  Zge 
as  nothing  before  GOD  and  in  our  own  Eyes, 
Pfal.  xxxix.  5. 

The  Time  o^  fome  of  the  Sons  and  Daughters 
of  Men  is  fo  fhort.,  that  they  expire  in  the  Womb., 
sad   never  draw  a  Breath  :    How   much  in  vain 

may 


as  Mof^lal. 


II 


may  thcie  untimely  Births  feem  !  Who  knows  the 
Way  of  the  Spirit  or  his  Mind^  in  animating  the 
curious  Body  which  it  frames  in  y^rr^/,  never  to  fee 
this  Light  of  ours  !  Yet  is  it  not  done  in  vain  ! 
No,  the  Spirit  of  thefiill  horn  Babe  returns  to  GOD 
that  gave  it,  the  Father  of  Spirits  -,  and  therefore 
is  not  made  in  vain. 

Others  die  from  the  Womh  ;  juft  fee  the  Light, 
or  fetch  a  Breath  or  two,  gafp  and  are  gone  !  or 
]ive  a  Month  or  Year,  and  their  Angels  take  Um^ 
which  behold  the  Face  of  their  Father  in  Heaven. 
Their  few  Minutes,  Days,  or  Weeks  are  not  in 
vain  ;  for  you  know  who  has  faid.  Mat.  xix.  14. 
Suffer  the  little  Ones  to  come  to  me^  for  of  fuch  is  my 
Kingdom . 

What  Multitudes  of  the  Human  Ofrspring  die 
in  Childhood,  within  the  firfl  five\,  feven,  or  ten 
Years  of  Life  !  They  hve  to  -leave  the  Breaft^  lifp 
at  a  Word  of  Love^  run  to  the  Mother's  Knee  ; 
begin  to  know  a  Uttle,  to  read  and  fay  a  Prayer, 
and  die  as  they  begin  to  be  the  Hope  and  Light 
and  Joy  of  their  Parents  : —  It  is  computed  that  a 
third  die  not  two  Years  okl,  and  one  half  that  are 
born  before  five  :  Yet  not  in  vain  has  the  fliort 
Life  been,  if  we  may  fee  'em  one  Day  in  Heaven  ; 
the  Pains  of  hearing  and  Sorrows  of  burying  will 
be  well  rewarded. 

So  if  they  die  in  blooming  Touth^  juft  begin- 
ning to  bear  and  promifing  good  Fruity  or  having 
yielded  fome^  they  have  not  been  in  vain  ;  but 
are  in  Favour  taken,  although  it  be  from  a  Crown 
on  Earth,  like  young  Abijahy  becaufe  there  was 
B  2  ibms 


12  l^he   Vanity  of  Man 

fome  good  Thing  found  in  him   toward  the  Lord 
God  of  Ifrael. 

Or  to  give  the  Reverfe^ —  if  they  die  in  Tottth 
and  their  Life  has  been  among  the  Unclean  \  (as 
Bildad  faid  to  Job)  and  GOD  has  caji  them  away 
in  their  Tranfgrefiion  \  yet  may  we  not  fay  they 
were  made  in  vain  !  no,  though  it  be  in  Truth 
much  worfe  than  in  vain  ! —  for  what  if  GOD  wil- 
ling to  fhew  his  Wrath  fnatch  away  the  VefTel  fit- 
ted for  Deflru5fion  fooner  or  later  !  All  Flefh  muft  be 
Jilent  before  Him  !  but  hoW  much  more  will  Aaron 
hold  his  Peace,  and  Eli  anfwer,  "•  It  is  the  Lord, 
let  Him  do  what  feemeth  Him  good. 

Or  again,  if  an  Hezekiah  or  a  Jofiah  be  called 
to  die  in  the  midft  of  Life^  Honour  and  Ufeful- 
nefs  ;  we  miuft  not  chatter  like  the  Crane^  or  much 
worfe,  and  fay,  "  Why  were  the  golden  Veffels 
formd  and  Ihown  in  vain  ?  No,  far  otherwife  : 
GOD  will  remember  how  they  have  walked  before 
Uim^  while  they  and  others  may  inourn  in  the  cutting 
cff  their  Days  ;  yea  while  the  Church  it  felf  may 
lament  as  in  our  Context^  "  Thou  haft  cafl  off  thine 
*■  Anointed^  thou  hdSk.  frofaned  his  Or  own  ^  thou  hall 
*'  fhortned  his  Bays, 

To  add  no  more, —  At  full  and  Old  Age  the 
Time  is  fhort  \  at  three  and  f our f core  Years  it  is 
foon  cut  off^  and  we  flee  away  ^  as  the  Ffalmift  tru- 
ly fings  :  Pfalm  xc.  :  We  have  gained  fo  little 
Knowledge  and  Grace,  we  have  done  fo  little  Good 
in  the  World  j  we  have  been  guilty  of  fo  much 
£yil,  and  have  feen  it  may  be  fo  many  Sorrows  ; 
ihat  with  %\iz  venerable  Patriarch  we  muft  look 

''  back 


as  Mortal. 


^3 


back  and  fay,  "  Few  and  evil  have  the  Days  ef 
the  Tears  of  my  Pilgrimage  been. 

But  if  we  live  gracekfs  and  wicked  to  the  Days 
of  Old  Age^  O  then  how  have  they  been  in  vain^ 
and  pajfed  away  in  GOD's  Wrath  !  For  wherefore 
do  the  Wicked  live,  become  old  and  grow  mighty 
in  Power  ! —  An  untimely  Birth  is  better  than  be^ 
and  the  Sinner  a  hundred  Years  old  is  but  the  more 
accurfed  !  His  Days  are  fpent  as  a  Tale  that  is 
told,  and  according  to  his  Fear  fo  is  GOD*s  Wrath ! 
Mark  him,  and  be  ajlonied  and  lay  thy  Hand  on 
thy  Mouth  !  —  Dare  not  even  in  this  fad  Cafe 
to  fay,  "  This  Monument  of  Sin  has  been  made 
and  fpared  in  vain  !  No,  there's  a  Judgment  to 
come,  and  remember  the  Days  of  Darknefs^  for 
they  fhali  be  many. 

You  fee,  my  Hearers^  that  there  is  a  Necefllty 
of  judging  by  Faith^  and  not  by  Sight  -,  all  the 
while  we  live^  and  when  we  die  :  if  there  were  no 
other  Life  after  this,  the  fhort  or  long  finful 
hurtful  Lives  of  one  and  another  in  every  Age  and 
Place,  were  much  worfe  than  in  vain  !  The  Sin- 
ners have  only  defirofd  much  Good^  and  it  had  been 
better  both  for  themfelves  and  others  that  they  had 
never  been  born. —  But  it  will  not  be  found  fo  in 
•the  End  \  the  Glory  of  GOD  and  the  Good  of  the 
Univerfe  will  be  found  well  anfver*d  in  the  Day  of 
Judgment  •,  as  we  are  told  Prov.  xvi.  4.  The  Lord 
has  made  all  Things  for  Himfelf^  even  the  Wicked  for 
the  Day  of  evil. 

But  if  we  bound  our  Sight  within  the  prefent 
Scene  of  Things,  and  look  not  to  the  Things  unfeen 
and  eternal    y     there  might  then   feem    Reafon 

enough 


14  ihe  Va7tity  of  Ma7i 

(Enough  for  the  fad  Exclamation^  "  O  why  are  all 
Men  thus  made  in  vain  ! —  If  we  confider  only 
the  worldly  Circumftances,  and  prefent  goodly  Ap- 
pearance of  Perfons  and  Families  ;  if  we  call  up  a 
Job  and  his  lovely  Train  of  Sons  and  Daughters 
from  the  Dead^  and  view  them  on  the  Day  of 
their  Devotion  and  feafting  together,  buried  toge- 
ther in  the  Ruins  of  the  fallen  Houfe  !  and  he 
that  Yefterday  fat  in  the  Gate^  in  all  the  outward 
State  and  inward  Morning  of  a  fuperior  and  righ- 
teous Judge  •,  ^  his  Glory  frejh  in  Him,  and  Men 
''  giving  Ear  and  waiting  and  keeping  Silence  at 
*'  his  Counfel  ;  "  tbey  waited  for  Him  as  for  the 
''  Rain,  and  opened  their  Mouth  wide  as  for  the 
**  latter  Rain  ;  ("  the  Oracle  and  Barling  of  his 
*'  Country  *)  when  the  Ear  heard  him  it  bleffed 
"  him,  and  when  the  Eye  faw  him  it  gave  Wit- 
*'.  nefs  to  him  •,  He  put  on  Righteoufnefs  and  it 
*'  clothed  him,  and  his  Judgment  was  to  him  for 

*'  *a  Robe  and  Diadem  I But  to  morrow  he  is 

feen  with  CompalTion  and  Surprize,  a  Spe^acle 
of  Poverty,  Dijlrefs  and  Woe ;  flript  of  Efiate  and 
Family,  without  a  Child  or  almoft  a  Servant  to  at- 
tend him  *,  deformed  alfo  by  a  gafily  Bifeafe  and 
covered  with  putid  Sores,  lb  as  not  to  be  known 
by  his  Friends  -,  fo  that  they  lift  up  their  Voice^ 
and  waiVd  him  ! —  And  had  he  died  in  this  Extre- 
mity, had  he  been  form'd  and  rais^'d  in  vain  ? 
No  1  he  had  ferv'd  bis  Generation  glorioufly  by 
the  Will  of  GOD,  and  knew  that  bis  Redeemer 
liv'd,  whom  he  Ihould  fee  for  Himfelf  one  Day 
upon  the  Earth  *,  and  his  Eyes  fhould  behold  bim^ 
though  now  his  Reins  were  confuming  within  him  : 
Job  xix.  25,  26.  He  was  a  Type  of  his  Redeemer 

*  Mr.  Henry, 

m 


as   Mortal.  15 

in  his  Sorrows,  and  is  with  Him  in  his  Joys^ 
and  will  come  with  Him  in  his  Glory,  in  the  Day 
of  the  Reftitution  of  all  Things  •,  when  this  Cor- 
ruptible ihall  put  on  Incorruption,  and  this  mortal 
Immortality,  and  Death  will  he  fwallow'd  up  in 
Vi5lory,  i  Cor.  Chap.  xv. 

Let  us  recur  in  our  Meditation  to  the  tragical 
"Dying  of  righteous  Abel  in  his  early  Piety,  or  to 
the  placid  Death-Bed  of  aged  Jacob  with  his  Sons 
about  him,  and  his  Jofeph  clofing  his  Eyes  with 
Tears  and  Kiffes  :  thefe  very  different  Views  of 
Death  agree  in  this,  that  neither  of  them  fhow  the 
Good  Man  made  in  vain  ;  but  equally  to  the 
heft  that  can  be  propofed  by  GOD  or  conceiv'd 
by  us. 

Let  us  view  (I  fayj  righteous  Abel  in  all  the 
Charms  of  florid  l^ouih  and  Grace  together,  one 
Day  with  his  Sacrifice  at  the  Altar  of  GOD,  and 
a  Light  from  Heaven  fhining  around  him  and  ir- 
radiating his  beauteous  Face  !  And  the  next  Day 
view  him  cover'd  with  Gore,  deform'd  with  gaft- 
ly  Wounds,  befmear'd  with  Dirt  and  Blood  I  ^  how 
had  his  early  Piety  and  high  Devotion  feem'd^  in 
vain  -,  but  for  the  Crown  of  Martyrdom  remaining 
to  him  in  a  future  eternal  Life  !  and  at  the  Head 
of  the  noble  Army  of  Martyrs,  Confeflbrs  of  the 
Lamb  flain  in  the  midft  of  the  Throne  !  Rev.  vii. 
14.  Thefe  are  they  that  come  out  of  great  Tribula- 
"  tion,  and  have  wafhed  their  Robes  and  made  'em 
"  white-  in  the  Blood  of  the  Lamb  :  Therefore  are 
"  they  before  the  Throne  of  GOD,  and  ferve  him 
"  Day  and  Night  in  his  Temple  !  they  fhall 
*'  hunger  no  more,  nor  ikirif  any  more,  &c. 

But 


js6  The  Vanity  of  Man 

But  let  us  pafs  from  the  Blood  of  Ahel^  crying- 
from  the  Earth  againft  his  Brother  ;  unto  the  Death- 
Bed  of  aged  Jacobs  the  good  old  Patriarch  willing 
to  be  gone,  waiting  for  the  Salvation  of  GOD^  de- 
firing  to  depart  (Tike  blefled  Paul  2300  Years  after 
him)  and  to  be  with  Chrijl^  as  far  the  better  5 
calling  his  Sons  to  take  his  parting  Prayer,  to  blefs 
them  all  together,  and  every  One  apart  and  by 
Name  •,  his  Jofeph  alfo  in  the  midft  of  them,  and 
Judah  even  greater  than  he  in  the  Benedidlion, 
but  not  in  Befert  ;  for  the  Reward  is  of  Grace. 
View  (I  fay)  this  Jacob  wreflling  for  the  BlefTing 
even  in  his  Mother's  Womb^  as  well  as  with  the 
jdngel  long  after  and  prevailing,  as  a  Prince  that 
had  Power  with  GOD  !  Confider  him  in  his  con- 
tinual Advances  in  Wifdom  and  Communion  with 
GOD  unto  old  Jge  ;  his  hoary  Head  and  wrinkled 
Brow  a  Crown  of  Glory ^  in  the  Ways  of  Righte- 
oufnefs  and  Devotion  : —  Add  to  him  fuch  of  his 
Sons  as  were  moft  like  Him  in  their  Generations,  in 
their  advanced  Years  alfo  and  Improvements  in 
Grace  ; —  J^f^ph-i  Mofes^  Jofhua^  Samuel^  David  \ 
with  Elias  that  never  faw  Death,  and  his  SucceiTor 
Elifha  more  magnificent  on  his  Death-Bed  than  the 
King  and  all  his  Court  gather'd  about  it,  and  own- 
ing Him  as  much  the  Chariot  of  Ifrael  as  his  Ma- 
fler  Elijah  had  been  before  him  :  Add  to  thefe 
the  New-'feflament  Elias.,  with  his  Head  in  a  Charger 
and  more  than  a  Prophet  ;  and  think  how  Simeon 
cxpir'd,  with  the  Holy  Child  Jesus  in  his  Arms, 
fay  fome  :  and  imagine  alfo  the  Tranfporis  of  a 
Stephen  ftoned  under  the  Viftons  of  Jesus  through 
the  open'd  Heavens,  and  (landing  on  the  Right 
Hand  of  GOD  !  And  add  to  all  your  Thoughts 
of  the  Joys  of  the  Beloved  of  Jesus,  St.  John  and 
Paul^  as  the  Time  of  their  Departure  came  on   ! 

Contemplate 


as  Mortal.  17 

Contemplate  all  thefe  in  the  Shades  of  Death ^  after 
their  ferving  their  Generations  by  the  Will  of 
GOD  ;  and  although  their  Labour  and  Suffering 
were  not  at  all  in  vain  in  the  Lord  ;  neverthelefs 
if  it  were  not  for  their  Relation  to  a  better  Country^ 
that  is  an  heavenly^  and  their  Inheritance  with  the 
Saints  in  Lights  at  the  Head  of  zvhom  thefe  fhine  ; 
—  What  would  they  have  thought  of  their  Lif^ 
here  below  ?  however  eminently  happy  and  ufefu!^ 
and  honour'd  of  GOD  they    were  in  Comparifon' 

of  others  I So  Jacob  paus'd,  and  took  Breath, 

in  the  midft  of  his  blejfing  his  Sons,  in  that  happy" 
Parenthefis^  "  I  have  waited  for  thy  Salvation^  O 
Lord. —  And  fuch  had  been  the  Faith  and  Hope 
and  Joy  of  his  dying  Fathers^  the  Patriarchs  be- 
fore him  ;  as  the  Aposlle  to  the  Hebrews  tells  us, 
Heb.  xi.  13,  15.  'Thefe  all  died  in  Faith ^  defiring  a 
better  Country^  that  is  a  Heavenly  ;  conf effing  them-^. 
felves  Strangers  and  Pilgrims  on  Earth. 

But  though  we  may  thus  make  fome  Allowance 
to  the  befi  of  Men,  or  fome  Kind  of  Excufe  for 
them,  after  the  befi  Life  of  Services  to  GOD  and 
Communion  with  Him,  that  has  been  attained  in 
this  Earth  of  ours  ;  if  upon  their  Review  of  all 
that  they  have  known  of  GOD  or  done  for  his 
Name,  they  readily  own  the  Vanity  and  Emptinefs 
of  it  all  ;  if  it  were  not  for  their  fure  and  certain 
Hope  of  a  higher  and  better  Life,  referved  for  them 
in  Heaven^  after  the  DiiTolution  of  their  Bodies  ;• 
•—  yet  we  muft  recoiled  our  felves,  and  affirm  con- 
flantly,  that  "Thefe  among  the  Sons  and  Daughters 
of  Men,  (the  whole  EleBion  of  Grace,  the  Ele5l 
Lady  and  her  Children  as  well  as  John  himfelf ) 
have  by  no  Means  been  made  in  vain  !  no,  far 
otherwife  ^    their  Labours  have  not  been  in  vain 

C  ia 


1 8  The  Fa7tity   of  Man 

in  the  Lord,  but  their  Works  follow  them,  and 
will  be  openly  acknowledged  and  gloriouQy  reward- 
ed in  the  Day  of  Christ  -,  and  their  Charities  to 
his  poor  Members  in  particular,  while  they  will  flill 
call  themfelves  unprofitable  Servants  :  Matth.  xxv. 
34,  &c.  "  Then  Ihall  the  King  fay  to  them  on  his 
*'  right  Hand^  Come  ye  hlejfed  of  my  Father^ 
*'  inherit  the  Kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
"  Foundation  of  the  World  ;  for  I  was  hungry 
*'  and  ye  gave  me  Meat^  thirjly  and  ye  gave  me 
*'  Brink  •,  a  Stranger  and  ye  took  me  in,  naked 
*'  and  ye  clothed  me  •,  I  was  fick  and  ye  vifited 
"  me  •,  I  was  in  Prifon  and  ye  came  to  me. 
"  Then  fhall  the  Righteous  anfwer,  "  Lord,  when 

"  did  we  fo  ! And  the  King  fliall  reply, 

*'  Verily  I  fay  unto  you,  in  as  much  as  ye  have 
*'  done  it  unto  one  of  the  lead  of  thefe  my  Ere- 
^[  thren^  ye  did  it  unto  Me. 

But  we  muft  go  on  yet  much  further  in  the 
Argument  before  me,  and  fay,—  GOD  has  made 
nothing  in  vain^  and  much  lefs  Man  :  no  not  fo 
much  as  one  Jingle  Perfon,  greater  or  lefs,  better  or 
worfe,  in  vain  : —  Far  be  it  from  Him,  whofe  Work 
is  perfe^  ;  and  nothing  can  hinder  his  everlafting 
Glory  from  it !  no,  not  the  Sin  and  Mifery  of  any 
of  his  Creatures,  Men  or  Devils, 

How  far  was  Man  in  his  firji  Eftate  from  being 
made  a  vain  Creature  !  He  was  made  a  living 
Soul,  in  the  Image  of  GOD  ;  an  immortal^  Spirit, 
wife  holy  and  happy  -,  and  for  an  everlafting  In- 
creafe  in  Knowledge  and  Holinefs  and  Bleffednefs, 
in  a  Life  of  Worfhip  a7%d  Obedience  : —  And  altho' 
by  Sin  he  foon  fubjefted  himfelf,  and  the  Creatures 
under  his  Feet,  to  the  Vanity  and  Bondage  of  Death 

and 


as  Mortal.  19 

and  Corruption  ; —  and  although  the  mojl  of  the 
Children  of  Jdam  are  wilfully  perijhing  in  their 
fpiritual  Corruption  ;  yet  there  is  an  Eleclion  of 
Grace  in  whom  GOD  will  glorify  his  Holinefs  and 
Mercy  for  ever  and  ever,  by  recovering  them  here 
to  a  State  of  Communion  with  Himfelf,  preparatory 
for  and  an  Earnefl  of  the  Tranflation  of  their 
Souls  at  Deaths  and  after  the  RefurreBion  Soul 
and  Body  united  to  the  Vifions  of  his  Glories  ia 
Heaven. 

Then  every  Mark  and  Sign  of  Sin  and  Vanity 
fhall  be  done  away  for  ever  ;  and  the  Redeemed 
from  our  Earth  fhall  fhine  forth  in  the  Kingdom 
of  their  Saviour^  in  the  Paradife  above,  in  more 
than  transfgur'd  Bodies  -,  and  in  what  irradiated 
Souls  ! —  how  much  fairer  and  brighter  than 
Adam  and  Eve  at  firft  in  the  Garden  of  God  be- 
low ;  in  their  Innocence^  Integrity  and  earthly 
Happinefs  !  in  what  Knowledge,  Purity  and  Joy  ! 
like  that  of  the  holy  Angels  who  (land  and  minif- 
ter  (  with  covered  Faces  )  before  the  Throne  :  ac- 
cording to  what  we  read  Pfalm  xvi.  ult.  There- 
fore  my  Heart  is  glad  and  my  Glory  rejoices  ; 
my  Fleflj  alfo  fhall  reft  in  Hope  •,  thou  wilt  floem 
me  the  Path  of  Life  \  in  thy  Prefence  is  Fulnefs 
^f  Joy-,  and  at  thy  right  Hand  are  Pleafures  for 
evermore.  Rev.  xxii.  3,  4,  5.  "  And  there  fhall 
"  be  no  more  Curfe,  but  the  Throne  of  GOD  and 
"  of  the  Lamb  fliall  be  in  it,  and  his  Servants 
"  Ihall  ferve  Him  !  and  they  fhall  fee  his  Face^ 
"  and  his  Name  fhall  be  in  their  Foreheads  ! 
^'  and  there  fhall  be  no  Night  there  ;  for  the 
*'  Lord  God  giveth  them  Light j  and  they  fliall 
[^j'eign  for  ever  and  ever. 

C  2  Here 


20  The  Vanity  of  Man 

Here  let  our  View  of  Sin  and  Death  and  Va- 
fiity  end  as  to  the  righteous  ;  for  here  mud  be 
the  Abolition  of  it  for  ever  and  ever,  as  to  them  \ 
*'  Mortality  being  /wallowed  up  of  Life.  This  is 
the  Recitation  of  all  Things,  'and  of  Man  to  his 
PoiTeffion  of  the  heavenly  Inheritance^  purchafed 
by  Jesus  Christ  for  his  Ele^  and  them  for  it. 

.  O  how  far  then  will  the  leafl  of  thefe  feem 
from  having  been  made  in  vain.,  in  this  Day  of . 
the  "  Manifeftation  of  the  Sons  and  Daughters  of 
GOD  ?  O  to  what  a  glorious  Purpofe  will  it 
then  appear,  that  Man  was  created  in  the  Likenefs 
and  Love  of  GOD  ?  fince  out  of  his  fallen  Loyns 
GOD  has  raifed  fo  many  Children  to  eternal 
Glories  !  of  whom  He  has  faid,  and  will  fay 
for  ever,    "    Ye   are    my    Sons    and   Daughters, 

faith  the  Lord    Almighty, See  their  Num- 

her  and  Glory.,  and  hear  their  Songs  of  Joy, 
and  read  their  endlefs  Blifs  :  Revel,  vii.  9,  10, 
15,  16,  17.  "  After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo  a 
-*'  great  Multitude^  which  no  Man  can  number^ 
'^'  of  all  Nations^  and  Kindreds  and  People  and 
^^  Tongues,  flood  before  the  Throne  and  before 
*'  the  Lamb  -,  clothed  with  white  Robes  and 
'^  with  Palms  in  their  Hands  ;  and  cried  with 
*'  a  loud  Voice,  fliying  ;  Salvation  to  our  GOD 
"  which  fitteth  upon  the  Throne  and  to  the 
"  Lamb  !  Thefe  are  they  that  came  out  of 
"  great  Tribulation.,  and  h^vt  wafhed  their  Robes 
'^^  and   made    them  white  in    the    Blood  of   the 

^'  Lamb  : therefore  are    they    before    the 

*'  Throne  of  GOD,  and  ferve  Him  Day  and 
^'  Night  in  his  Temple  ;  and  He  that  ftttetb 
*'  on  the  Throne  fhall  dwell  among  them  ! 
"  diey    fliall   hunger    no   mor?^    nor    thirjl  any 

^^  more  j 


as  Mortal.  2x 

"  more  ;     neither   fhall  the  Sun  light  on  them,' 

*^  nor  any   Heat  •,     for  the  Lamh    which  is  in 

"  the   midft    of  the  Throne  fhall    lead    them  to 

"  Hving  Fountains  of  Waters  ;  and   GOD  fhall 

"  wipe  away  all   Tears   from    their  Eyes. 

USE.  And  fo  I  come  to  make  fome  prac- 
tical Reflexions  on  this  vain  Life  of  Man,  in 
his  corriipted  Fle/h^  which  GOD  had  no  Hand 
in  !  this  Vanity  of  Man  as  mortal^  which  is 
altogether  of  Himfelf 

And  is  it  as  we  have  been  hearing,  that  our 
Time  here  on  Earth  is  fo  very  fljort^  and  our 
State  fo  vain  becaufe  fo  very  finful  ^  fo  that 
we  may  be  ready  at  times  to  think  and  fay  of 
it,  in  our  moft  ferious  Frames  and  Hours,  — - 
"  O  why  is  Man  made  thus  altogether,  as  it 
were,  for  Nought  and  in  vain  ?  fo  abandoned 
to  Sin  and  Mifery^  and  void  of  Goodnefs  and 
Happinefs  ?  —  Yet  let  us  recover  out  of  this 
falfe  Medium^  whereby  the  Sight  of  GOD  and 
of  our  Selves  is  obfcured  •,  —  that  we  may  make 
a  juft  and  righteous  Improvement  of  the  Infeli- 
cities we  have   brought    upon   our  Selves. 

Firfl  then,  What  a  dreadful  Thing  is  Sin  ?  and 
what  a  Punifhment  of  it  is  Mortality  and  Death. 
Man  little  underflood  or  weighed  the  Warning 
given  him  in  his  State  of  Innocence  ;  '^  In  the  Day 
thou  eate§f^  thou  fhali  furely  die.  The  firft  Sight 
of  Death  on  the  Beafts  flain  in  Sacrifice,  was  with- 
out Doubt  not  a  little  affeding  to  our  firft  Parents^ 
but  the  hideous  Face  of  it  in  their  lovely  Jbel  flruck 
(hem  with  a  Horror  not  to  be  imagined.- —  The 

Sorrows 


2  2  T'he  Vanity  of  Man 

Sorrows  of  lurying  her  Sons  chang'd  the  fair  Na- 
omi into  an  unknown  Thing  ;  "  Is  this  'Naomi  ? 
And  yet  thefe  are  but  the  lighter  Part  of  the  Curfe, 
which  the  mod  pious  are  fubjed  to,  and  Faith  has 
many  a  Time  born  glorioully  :  Luke  xii.  4.  "  I 
*'  fay  unto  you  my  Friends^  Fear  not  them  that 
''  can  kill  the  Body,  and  after  that  have  no  more 
*'  that  they  can  do  !  but  I  will  forewarn  you 
*'  Whom  you  fhall  fear  !     Him   thai  can  cajl  the 

*'  Soul  into  Hell  \     I  fay  unto  you  fear  Him, 

Yet  alas,  how  is  Sin  punifh^d  in  us,  and  before  our 
Eyes,  in  the  prefent  Life  I  "  Call  for  the  mourn- 
*'  ing  Women,  faid  the  gracious  Prophet,  for  Death 
*'  is  in  the  Streets,  and  at  our  Windows  ! —  It  tears 
the  fucking  Child  from  the  Mother^s  Breaft,  and 
the  Defire  of  the  Eyes  with  a  Stroke  from  the  Arms 
of  her  Hujhand.  The  tender  Soul  of  Jesus  was 
moved  exceedingly  as  he  faw  the  Widow  following 
her  Son  to  the  Grave,  and  he  wept  at  the  Grave  of 
Lazarus,  Alas,  how  is  Sin  punifli'd  in  us,  in  the 
Sicknejfes  and  Pains  and  Corruption  which  often 
preceed  Death,  as  well  as  in  the  Putrefadlion  that 
always  follows  it.  What  Months  of  Vanity  were 
appointed  to  Job,  and  wearifome  Nights  ?  Job  vii. 
3.  His  Flefh  was  clothed  with  Worms  and  Clods  of 
Dufl  j  his  Skin  broken  and  become  loathfome. 
Chap.  X.  9,  18.  Remember  I  befeech  thee,  that 
thou  haft  made  me  as  the  Clay,  and  wilt  thou 
bring  me  into  Buff  again  ?  Wherefore  then  haft 
thou  brought  me  out  of  the  Womb  ?  O  that 
i  had  givdfn  up  the  Ghojl^  and  no  Eye  had  feen 
me. 

Secondly,  The  vainer  our  Life  is,  and  the  fhorter 
our  Time,  the  more  let  us  be  excited  to  a  holy 
Care  and  Vigilance,  that  it  may  not  fsem  to  our 

felves 


as  Mortal.  23 

felves  or  others,  to  have  been  altogether  loji  and  in 
vain  :  But  let  ns  indeed  think  our  felves  made  in 
vain^  if  the  End  of  Life  be  not  in  fome  Meafure 
confider^d  by  us,  anfwer'd  and  attained  :  Elfe  (as 
the  wife  Solomon  fays)  an  untimely  Birth  is  better  \ 
better  than  //<?,  the  Days  of  whofe  Years  are  many 
and  his  Soul  not  filled  with  Good  done  in  them  ; 
for  he  Cometh  in  with  Vanity^  and  departeth  in 
Darknefs,  and  his  Name  fhall  be  covered  with 
Barknefs^  Ecclef  vi.  4.  To  let  a  Jhort  Life  run 
away  in  Vanity  and  Sin,  in  doing  nothings  or  in 
doing  evil  ;  in  the  Negledt  of  GOD  and  our 
Souls,  and  to  the  Dilhonour  and  Wrong  of  both  ; 
—  what  an  egregious  Piece  of  Folly  and  Wick- 
ednefs  muft  it  be  !  as  it  is  reprefented  and  bewail- 
ed  in  the  xcth  Pfalm^  from  the  5th  Verfe  ;  "  For 
"  we  are  confumed  by  thine  Anger,  and  by  thy 
"  Wrath  we  are  troubled  /  thou  haft  fet  our 
"  Iniquities  before  thee,  our  fecret  Sins  in  the 
"  Light  of  thy  Countenance  !  for  all  our  Days 
"  arc  paiTed  away  in  thy  Wrath  ;  we  fpend  our 
"  Years  as  a  Tale  that  is  told  !  —  Who  knowetb 
"  the  Power  of  thy  Anger^  even  according  to 
"  thy  Fear  fo  is  thy  Wrath  !  So  teach  us  to 
"  number  our  Days,  that  we  may  a^-^ly  our  Hearts 
*'  unto  Wifdom, 

To  Man  GOD  fays,  —  "  This  is  Wifdom  \ 
O  that  they  were  wife,  that  they  underftood  this^ 
and  would  confider  their  latter  End  !  The  wife 
Servants  of  GOD  have  ever  done  it  and  been 
wife  to  Salvation  :  More  efpecially  the  Son  of 
the  Higheft,  when  he  took  our  mortal  Flefh,  was 
made  Sin  for  us,  and  came  into  our  World  to 
die  ;  he  quickened  himfelf  once  and  again,  for 
our  Sakes,    and    to   give  us  an    Example,  from 

this 


24  ^^  Vanity  of  Man 

this  Motive  •,  "  I  maft  work  the  Work  of  Him 
*'  that  fent  me,  while  it  is  Bay  ;  the  Night 
*'  Cometh  wherein  no    Man    can  work  !    And  a- 

gain,  ■ "  I   have   a   Baptifm   to   be   baptifed 

**  with,  and  how  am  I  ftraitned  till  it  be  ac- 
"  complifhed.  —  The  Bifciples  of  JESUS  might 
•well  kern  this  of  Him,  and  teach  it  to  others  ; 
as  we  read  in  the  Epiftles  of  St.  Peter  and  Paul : 
"  I  will  not  be  negligent  to  put  you  always  in 
•'  Remembrance  of  thefc  Things  -,  yea,  I  think 
*<  it  meet  as  long  as  I  am  in  this  Taherjuicle  of 
*'  Clay,  to  ftir  you  up  •,  knowing  that  I  alfo 
**  muft  Jhortly  put  off  this  my  Tabernacle  as 
*'  the  Lord  hath  fhewed  me  !  —  This  I  fay 
*'  therefore.  Brethren,  the  Time  is  jloort  !  it  re- 
*'  maineth  that  both  they  that  have  fVives  be 
*'  as  though  they  had  ?tone  -,  and  they  that  weep 
*'  as  though  they  wept  not,  and  they  that  rejoice 
*'  as  though  they  rejoiced  not,  and  they  that  l^uy 
*'  as  though  they  pofTefTed  not,  and  they  that 
''  ufe  the  World  as  not  ahujing  it,  becaufe  the 
"  FaJJoion  of  it  paffeth   away. 

^Thirdly,  Let  us  the  rather  take  a  thankful  No- 
tice to  the  Glory  of  GOD,  that  the  Life  of 
Some  is  not  fo  much  in  vain  as  that  of  many 
others.  —  They  have  much  fooner  began  to  live 
to  GOD,  they  have  through  Grace  done  more 
for  Him  ih^  few  Days  they  have  lived,  and  it 
may  be  their  ufeful  Lives  have  been  prolonged. — 
So  the  Face  of  Abraham-,  Ifaac,  and  Jacob,  and 
Jofeph  fhone  before  the  Princes  among  whom  they 
fojourn'd !  And  fo  fhone  the  Face  of  Mofes  and 
Aaron  before  the  Congregation  of  Ifrael  in  the 
Wildernefs,  and  Caleb's  alfo  and  Joffjua  then  and 
in  the  Land  of  Canaan  :    after  them  alfo  Samuel 

and 


as  Mortal.  25 

and  David  ferv'd  their  Generation  hy  the  Will  of 
God  !  but  above  all  in  the  Days  of  the  New 
Tejiament  blefTed  Paul  "  was  in  Labours  more 
"  abundant,  and  Christ  was  magnified  in  his 
*'  Body^  in  Life  and  Death.  —  The  Glory  muft  be 
*'  given  to  GOD,  and  was  fo  :  Not  /,  but  the  Grace 
*'  of  GOD  in  me  ;  but  the  Comfort  belongs  to  the 
"  Believer  in  Jesus,  and  it  is  great  in  Life  or 
"  Death ;  nor  can  it  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 
"  I  Cor.  XV.  uU.  Wherefore  my  beloved  Brethren^ 
"  be  ye  ftedfafl^  'unmoveable  and  always  abounding 
"  in  the  Work  of  the  Lord. 

Here  therefore  I  might  have  added  and  muft 
add,  I.  The  lefs  Life  has  been  in  vain^  the  more 
Comfort  in  our  Death  and  in  the  Death  of  our 
deareft  Friends ;  when  GOD  takes  them  away 
from  us,  or  calls  us  to  take  leave  of  them.  — 
O  in  what  Serenity  and  Peace  are  fuch  at  Times 
enabled  to  bid  farewell  and  breathe  their  laft  ? 
as  I  am  told  the  Excellent  Perfon  whofe  Remains 
we  follow  to  the  Grave  this  Afternoon^  was 
enabled  by  Grace  to  do  !  to  the  Admiration  of 
thofe  that  miniftred  about  her  Bed^  and  to  the 
great  C^;^/i?/^//c;^  of  her  Head  and  Offspring  \  and 
may  it  be  for  their  and  our  fpiritual  Iniftruftion,  Ad- . 
monition  and  Edification  in  Grace  and  Holinefs. 

So  Hezekiah^  the  pious  King  of  Judahy  turned 
his  Face  to  the  Wall  and  prayed,  when  he  was 
bid  to  fut  his  Houfe  in  Order  for  he  muft  die  ; 
*'  Lord,  remember  (faid  he)  how  I  have  walked 
before  thee  with  a  perfe^  Heart  ! — And  fo  the 
bleffed  St.  Paul  look'd  Death  in  the  Face  and  tri- 
umphed ;  ''  the  Time  of  my  Departure  is  at  hand, 
"  1  have  fought  a  good  Fight,  I  have  finilhed 
Jt  my  Courfe,  I  have  kept  the  Faith  !  Hence- 
D  "  forth 


26  T/)e   Vanity  of  Man 

*^  forth  is  referved  .for  me  the  Crown  of  Righte- 
*'  oufnefs  !  And  not  for  me  only  but  for  all  that 
*'  love  his  Appearing, —  And  fo  when  Dorcas 
v/as  dead,  they  wept  over  Her  and  told'  her  good 
Deeds^  the  Garments  Ihe  had  made  for  the  poor  ; 
and  were  going  to  hury  her  with  Praifes^  in  the 
midft  of  Lamentation.  —  And  fo  hke  Jehoiada 
the  Pried,  let  the  loweft  with  the  Higheft  in  the 
Congregation^  be  named  and  buried  as  among  the 
Kings  of  Judah  j  if  they  have  done  Good  in  IfraeL 

But  then,  on  the  other  Hand,  2.  The  longer 
cur  Life  is,  and  the  greater  our  Advantages  and 
Opportunities  are  for  doing  Good  in  the  World, 
and  the  more  fpecial  our  Obligations  ;  and  yet  the 
lefs  is  done  by  us  \  fo  much  the  more  in  vain  has 
our  Life  been  !  and  the  more  Matter  of  Humilia- 
tion^ Mourning  and  Shajne  remains  to  us  !  the 
more  Sorrow  and  Fear  in  a  dying  Hour,  and  look- 
ing for  of  Judgment  J  in  the  Bay  of  Christ  !  As 
it  is  written,  "  Cafi  the  unprofitable  Servant  into  utter 
Darknefs',  there  fhall  he  weeping  and  gnafhing  of  Teeth. 

Fourthly^  The  fhorter  and  vainer  the  prefent  iin- 
ful  Life  of  Man  is,  the  more  let  us  realize^  and 
ftrengthen  our  Faith  in  this  great  Truths  —  that 
GOD  never  made  any  Thing  in  vain ;  and  that  Man 
in  particular  was  made  in  the  Perfe5fion  of  Life  and 
Happinefs  j  wife  and  holy^  for  a  bleffed  Immortality. 

The  Glory  of  GOD,  and  the  Honour  of  his 
Creature^  require  us  to  ftrengthen  and  eftahlifh  our 
Faith  in  this  firfi  Record  that  GOD  has  given  to 
Man  concerning  Himfelf  —  GOD  made  Man  for 
the  beft  Ends^  and  to  the  moft  glorious  Purpofes. 
What  could  be  faid  more  great  and  good  and  aU" 
guff,  than  what's  faid  of  Man  in  his  Creation  -,  Gen. 

i.  27; 


as  Mortal.  27 

J.  27.  So  GOD  created  Man  in  his  own  Imaged 
in  the  Image  of  GOD  created  he  him,  Male  and 
Female  created  He  them  •,  and  GOD  bleffed  them, 
—  Such  Man  came  out  of  his  Maker* 5  Hand,  a 
living  Soul,  never  to  have  known  Sin  or  Death, 
or  to  have  been  fubjet^ed  to  Vanity  !  A  Matter 
this  is  worthy  of  everlafting  Remembrance,  and  a 
Subjedt  of  our  perpetual  Praifes  !  And  it  will  be 
fung  of  for  ever  in  Heaven  :  Pfal.  viii.  5. —  ult. 
Revel,  i V.   1 1 . 

We  may  apply  to  Man  in  his  Jir/l  Eftate,  and 
give  Glory  to  GOD  in  thofe  chofen  IVords  of  the 
xxift  Pfalm  :  ''  Thou  didft  prevent  him  with  the 
"  BlefTings  of  Goodnefs  !  thou  didft  put  a  Crown 
''  of  pure  Gold  on  his  Head  I  Thou  gaveft  him 
"  Life  in  Perfeftion,  even  Length  of  Days  for 
"  ever  and  ever  :  Honour  and  Majejly  thou  didfl: 
*'  put  upon  him,  and  madeft  him  moft  blejfed  for 
*'  ever  ;  exceeding  glad  with  the  Light  of  thy  Coun- 
"  tenance !  —  Be  thou  exalted  Lord,  in  thy  own 
"  Strength  !  fo  will  wey?;?^and  praife  thy  Power. 

Fifthly,  Let  this  therefore  flill  and  quiet  us  in 
all  that  GOD  orders  concerning  us,  all  the  Days 
of  our  vain   Life,  which  we  pafs  as  a  Shadow, 

The  Providence  of  GOD  is  perfect  I  there  is 
no  Room  for  any  Sufpicion  or  Complaint,  Expoftu- 
lation  or  Charge  refpeding  any  Thing  that  may 
here  befall  us.  Clouds  and  Darknefs  may  be  round 
about  the  "Throne  of  GOD,  but  Righteoufnefs  and 
Judgment  his  Habitation.  He  dwelleth  in  that 
Light,  which  no  Eye  can  fee.  His  Righteoufnefs 
is  as  the  great  Mountains,  while  his  Judgments  are 
as  the  great  Beep,  Let  the  One  be  always  before 
our  Eyes^  while  we  cannot  fee  at  all  into  the  other, 
D  2  He 


2ft  The  Vanity  of  Man 

He  15  2l  jealous  GOD,  and  therefore  will  not  beat 
that  we  ihould  have  any  Jealoufy  of  his  Govern- 
ment. He  is  perfedl  in  Knowledge,  we  compara- 
tively perfedl  Ignorance.  How  unfearcbable  are 
his  Counfels,  and  his  Ways  pad  finding  out ! 

Every  Event  of  Providence,  the  dark  as  well  as 
the  bright,  are  the  IfTue  and  Refult  of  his  infallible 
Foreknowledge  and  immutable  Decrees. —  The  Cha" 
riot  with  the  black  Horfes,  as  well  as  the  white^ 
came  forth  alike  from  between  the  Mountains  of 
'Brafs,  Zech.  yi.  i.  Thefe  are  Jhining  Mountains 
and  immoveable  :  they  cad  a  Light  and  Glory 
upon  all  that  comes  forth  from  between  thern. 
^h^  black  Horks  Jhine  in  the  fame  Light  of  GOD, 
his  Goodnefs,  Wifdom,  Righteoufnefs  and  Holi- 
nefs,  as  do  the  white  :  And  it  is  of  the  black,  that 
it  pleafed  the  Holy  One  to  fay,  in  the  Hearing 
of  the  Prophet  •,  "  Behold  these  have  quieted  my 
Spirit  :  Zech.  vi.  8.  And  what  quiets  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord,  Ihould  quiet  ours  ;  and  will  do  foi 
if  \ye  defire  to  be  holy  wife  and  good  as  He  is. 

I  can  never  forget,how  as  I  was  once  reading  that 
Chapter  in  my  Family,  thofe  Words  ftruck  me  with 
a  marvellous  Light  and  Force  ;  reprefenting  to  me 
the  perfe6t  infinite  Complacency  which  the  Soul  of 
GOD  has  in  all  the  Events  of  his  Providence  ; 
which  are  All  and  every  One  of  them  altogether 
fuch  as  they  fhould  be  ;  the  full  Accomplifhment  of 
the  everlafting  Purpofes  of  his  own  Wifdom  Ho- 
lincfs  and  Grace  ;  wherein  therefore  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit of  the  Lord  muft  have  everlafling  Reh  and 
^iet,  Pleafure  and  Satisfaction.  —  Can  there  be  a 
jnore  calming  quieting  Confideration  than  this  to 
the  Spirit  which  GOD  has  made  and  fandlified  ! 
|ias  iDadc  lo  nvcrn^  and  to  be  in  Subjedion  untp 

his 


as  Mortal.  29 

kls  own  holy,  perfeft  and  blefled  Will  ? —  So  A-^ 
hraham*s  Spirit  was  quieted  when  the  Horror  of 
great  Darknefs  came  upon  him,  and  the  Lamp  of 
Fire  pafTed  between  his  divided  Sacrifice  ;  though 
it  only  fhewed  him  the  long  fiery  Trial  in  Egypt^ 
which  his  Seed  were  to  pafs  through  in  their  Way 
to  Canaan, —  And  fo  the  Spirit  of  Job  was  quieted 
in  the  Will  of  GOD,  when  he  bereaved  him  of  all 
his  Children,  Family  and  Suhftance  in  one  dark  Day  ! 
And  he  faid,  "  Naked  came  I  out  of  my  Mother's 
Womh^  and  naked  fhall  I  return  !  the  Lord  ^^'y^and 
the  Lord  has  taken,  bleffed  be  the  Name  of  the  Lor  d. 
— But  to  name  a  Greater  than  thefe, — So  the  Soul 
of  Christ  was  quieted,  John  xii.  28.  "Now  ismy 
Soul  troubled,  and  what  fhall  I  fay  ?  Father,  fave  me 
from  this  Hour,  but  therefore  came  I  unto  this 
Hour  !  Father  glorify  thy  Name, 

Let  there  be  then  in  us  a  Conformity  to  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  in  the  Will  of  our  Heavenly  Father^ 
that  his  Soul  may  have  Pleafure  in  us,  as  it  has  in 
Him. — O  Believer  in  Jesus  !  may  Iy2[yunto  thee  ? 
"  9iuiet  the  Holy  Spirit  of  GOD,  by  Quietnefs 
and  Submiffwn  to  Him  in  all  thy  Afflidions  ?  This 
ihall  pleafe  the  Lord  better  than  the  bell  Sacrifice 
cf  Praife  thou  canft  render  to  him.  Behold  the  Lamb 
of  GOD,  be  meek  and  lowly  like  Him,  and  find  Reft 
ta  thy  Soul  !  it  pleafed  the  Lor  d  to  bruife  him  and 
put  him  to  Grief:  He  was  dumb  and  opened  not 
his  Mouth  ;  and  the  Pleafure  of  the  hoRD  profper'd 
in  his  Hand  :  Defire  to  be  found  one  of  his  Seed,  and 
let  Him  fee  the  Travail  of  his  Soul  in  thy  Conformity 
to  Him. 

What ;/  GOD  wills,  after  a  Courfc  olfhining  Cir^ 
cumftanccs  in  this  World,  to  break  the  beauteous 
Body  or  the  lovely  Mind  to  Pieces  \-   and  to  bring 

his 


3  a  The  Vanity  of  Man 

his  Cloud  over  the  joyous  Houfe  and  Family,  in  the 
Day  even  of  their  worjhiping  and  feafting  as  in  the 
Day  of  Job  ?  what  belongs  to  us  is,  to  fall  down 
and  worjhipy —  "  naked  came  I  out  of  my  Mother* s 
Womh^  and  naked  fhall  I  return^  the  Lord  gave  and 
tbeLjORD  hath  taken  -,  blejfed  be  the  Name  ofthehoRD. 
Pfalm  88.  9,  18.  "  Mine  Eye  mourneth  byReafon 
*'  of  Afflidion,  I  have  called  daily  upon  thee,  I  have 
*'  ftretched  out  my  Hand  to  thee  !  Lover  and  Friend 
"  haft  thou  put  far  from  me  and  mine  Acquaintance 
*'  into  Darknefs.  Pfalm  62.  9.  Surely  Men  of 
*'  low  'Degree  are  Vanity,  and  Men  of  high  Degree 
**  are  a  Lie  I  to  be  laid  in  the  Ballances  they  are 
lighter  than  Vanity  \  My  Soul,  wait  thou  only  upon 
GOB  ;   for  all  my  Expedtation  is  from  Him, 


cc 


O  that  Those  who  are  rifing  up  among  us  iny«- 
perior  Circumftances,  and  with  promifing  ExpeElati- 
ens  from  a  vain  and  empty  World,  would  betimes  re- 
ceive Convi6lion,  and  learn  of  the^n^  who  have  wifely 
gone  before  them,  without  Elation  or  Pride  of  Life, 

Sixthly  and  laftly.  The  fhorter  Time  is,  and  the 
'vainer  the  prefent  Life  and  World  may  feem  to  any 
of  us  on  the  Account  thereof  -,  the  more  let  us  fix 
our  Eyes  and  fet  our  Hearts  on  the  Word  of  GODy 
which  liveth  and  abideth  for  ever^  and  is  not  a  vain 
^hing^  but  is  our  Life  :  Let  us  fet  our  Heart  (I  fay) 
on  that  unfeen  and  eternal  World  which  the  Word  of 
Life  fets  before  us,  and  requires  us  to  be  pafling  our 
prefent  Jhort  Life  in  an  earneft  and  diligent  Pre* 
paration  for. 

Let  us  blefs  GOD  for  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
Words  of  Eternal  Life  by  Him,  who  has  abolifhed 
Death  and  brought  Life  and  Immortality  to  Light  m 
his  Gofpel.—  My  whole  ContcPit  leads  us  to  Him  5 

to 


as  Mortal.  ^i 

to  ftng  of  the  Mercies  of  GOD  through  Him  for 
ever  and  ever  ;  and  of  the  Covenant  of  GOD  with 
Him,  and  in  Him  with  all  that  believe  in  and  fubmit 
to  him  on  the  Terms  of  the  Gofpel. 

This  is  the  only  Support  of  a  pious  Soul  under  the 
Vanity  of  Life,  the  Profpea  of  his  own  Death,  and 
in  his  Sorrows  over  the  Dead  in  Him.    If  in  this  Life 
only  we  had  Hope  we  were  miferable  ;    but  now  is 
Christ  rifen  from  the  Dead,  and  become  the  Firjt- 
fruit  o{  them  thztjleep  :  for  if  we  belive  that  Jesus 
died  and  rofe  again  ;  even  fo  them  th^it fleep  in  Jesus 
GOD  will  bring  with  Him.     We  muft  raife  our 
Eyes  therefore  unto  the  Glories  of  that  bleffed  Day^ 
and  turn  them  away  from  beholding  Vanity,  which 
will  never  never  be  thought  of  more  ;  nor  will  ever 
fuch  a  Word  be  heard  again  from  a  Saint's  Lips  ; 
but  even  Devils  will  confefs  refpeding  them  that  they 
were  not  made  in  vain  : — No,  happy  the  D^j' where- 
in they  were  born,  and  the  Night  wherein  they  were 
conceived  I  no  Darknefs  or  any  Shadow  of  "Death  can 
ever  fiain  ir,  nor  any  Cloud  dwell  on  it  :  But  GOD 
will  regard  it  from  above,  and  his  Saints  may  keep 
the  Day  of  their  Death',  as  their  blefled  Birth-Day 
into  Glory  Honour  and  Immortality. 

^  Morcefpecially,  how  will  the  righteous  Jhine  forth 
m  the  Kingdom  o[  their  Saviour  in  the  Day  of  their 
Refurredion  ?  when  Christ  will  quicken  their  vile 
Bodies,  and  fafhion  them  according  to  his  own  moil 
glorious  Body  !  When  the  Glory  of  the  Celeftial  fhall 
iucceed,  after  the  Difhonour  of  the  terreflial  is  ceafed 
tor  ever !  When  what  was  fown  in  Corruption  Ihall 
htraifed  in  Incorruption  !  what  was  fown  in  Weak- 
«<?A  fhall  be  raifed  in  Power  \  and  the  prefent  natu- 
ral Uody  Ihall  bcrait.Ma/^/n///«/  \^Such  is  the  Re~ 

furredion 


3 2  ih^  Vanity  of  Man  &c. 

furreftion  of  thej^y?,  and  bleffed  and  holy  forever 
are  all  ^hey  that  have  Part  therein. 

Let  us  therefore  be  greatly  quickned  by  the  hlejfed 
Hope  to  pafs  our  Jhort  Time  and  vain  Life  here,  in 
the  moft  ferious  and  earned  Endeavours  to  attain  that 
Worlds  even  the  Refurre5iion  of  the  Juft.  Let  not 
the  Vanity  and  Shortnefs  of  the  prefent  Life  be  com- 
plained of,  but  improved.  Our  Time  is  a  Talent  of  in- 
finite Price^  for  our  diligent  redeeming  and  improving 
till  our  Lord  fhall  come  •,  and  blejfed  is  that  Servant 
whom  the  LORD  when  he  cometh^  fhall  find  fo  doing. 

We  have  liv'd  to  good  Purpofe  if  we  get  well  to 
Heaven.  We  fhall  then  find  that  our  Life  and  La- 
bour has  not  been  in  vain  in  the  Lord.  Nay  the 
fhorter  our  Life  is,  and  the  fooner  we  have  begun  to 
live  to  GOD,  the  more  wonderful  is  the  Gain  and 
Advantage  made  !  How  abundant  is  the  Reward  of 
a  fhort  Life  of  Duty  and  Sufferings !  how  vafl  that 
and  how  fmall  thefe  !  How  light  and  for  a  Moment 
the  One,  and  what  an  eternal  Weight  the  other  !  as 
the  Apoflle  teaches  us  to  reckon  and  eflimate,  Rom. 
viii.  1 8.  That  the  Sufferings  of  the  prefent  Life  are 
not  worthy  to  be  compared^  with  the  Glory  to  be  re- 
vealed : — for  which  Caufe  f  fays  he)  we  Jaint  not ; 
2  Cor.  iv.  ult.  But  though  our  outward  Man  perifh 
yet  the  inward  is  renewed  Day  by  Day  ;  for  our  light 
yiffliSlion^  which  is  but  for  a  Moment,  worketh  for 
us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  Weight  of  Glory  I 
while  we  look  not  at  the  Things  that  zxtfeen^  but  at 
the  Things  that  are  unfeen  ;  for  the  Things  which 
are  feen  are  temporal^  but  the  Things  which  are  not 
fern  are  eternal. 

FINIS. 


■«l^' 


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